Denture cleaning device



Jan. 25, 1966 M. E. LEONARD 3,230,572

DENTURE CLEANING DEVICE Filed NOV. 26, 1965 INVENTOR /Vae canard /777' VEY United States Patent O 3,230,572 DENTURE CLEANING DEVICE Mae E. Leonard, Box 244, Sergeant Blul, Iowa Filed Nov. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 326,049 4 Claims. (Cl. 15-512) My invention relates to a denture cleaning device.

An object of my invention is to provide a denture cleaning device wherein the upper and lower dentures can be efficiently cleaned by means of a simple operation when using such a device.

A further object of my invention is to provide a simple construction and in which it will not be necessary to clean the dentures separately by means of separate brushes and the like.

With these and other objects in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, and hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan and sectional view taken along the lines 1-1 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the device, and

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the device taken along the lines 3 3 of FIGURE 2.

My invention contemplates the provision of a device which includes a casing in which the dentures can be placed, with said casing including suitable brushes, and whereby by means of a simple operation, both the upper and lower dentures will be thoroughly cleaned, or the dentures cleaned separately.

The parts of my invention are preferably made of plastic, it being understood, however, that any other desired material can be employed.

In describing my invention, I have used the character to designate a hollow cylindrical casing having a bottom wall 11, and hinged at 12 to the casing 10 is a peripheral ange 13 adapted to engage the tapered wall portion 14, the ilange 13 being an integral continuation of the lid 15.

Formed in the member 10 is an arcuate slot 16 which extends into the vertically positioned further slot 17, which slot 17 extends to the top of the wall 10.

The character 18 designates a brush body having the lower bristles 19 extending therefrom and attached thereto, and the upper bristles 20 extending upwardly therefrom. Pivotally attached by means of a pin 21 to the ears 22 is a member 23 extending into the integral vertical portion 24 which extends into the further brush body 25, and attached to the body 25 and extending downwardly therefrom are the further bristles 26.

The ears 22 are formed integrally with a handle 27 which is attached at 28 to the brush body 18.

Attached at 29 to the bottom wall 11 is a partially spherical-shaped member 30 having the bristles 31 extending therefrom. Attached to the casing wall 10 are the bosses 32 with which bosses are threadably engaged the plastic screws 33 having the thumb screw ends 34, the character 35 indicating lock nuts, the screws 33 terminating in the expanded portions 36.

The device is used in the following manner. The upper plate, which is indicated by the character 37 is placed in the manner shown in FIGURE 2 with the concave portion downwardly and against the bristles 31, the character 38 indicating .the artificial teeth, the -character 39 indicating further portions, and before this operation the lid will have been swung in the direction of the arrow 40 so that the casing will be open, and next the handle 27, carrying the portion 23, etc., will be placed in the slot 17 and moved downwardly until the bristles 19 contact the member 37, etc., and next the lower denture ice which is indicated by the character 41 is placed on the bristles 20 as shown, the character 42 indicating the artificial teeth of this denture, and then the brush member 25 which had been swung in the direction of the arrow 43, is swung in the reverse direction so that it Will then occupy the position shown in FIGURE 2 with the bristles 26 being in contact with the teeth and all side and other portions of the denture 41, and then the lid 15 is swung back to the closed position shown.

Before the foregoing operations, the dentures are covered with any suitable denture cleaning medium, such as powder or paste and the like, and the casing is held closed and the handle is moved to and fro through the slot 16 in the direction of the arrows 44 which will thereby impart a scrubbing `and cleaning action of the bristles against the various denture surfaces to thereby clean the same.

The screws 33 can be adjustably set against the dentures, and preferably leaving a slight space, so that the lower surface of the denture 37 will be cleaned due to the slight rocking action, and the various bristles can be made of any desirable length to provide contact with all the surfaces, and as a result of several movements to and fro of the handle 27, the dentures will be eiiiciently cleaned, after which the lid 15 can then be swung to `an open position by means of the integral flange 45 and the entire upper brush arrangement can be removed from the casing, and the dentures are then removed from the casing, and the casing can then be thoroughly cleaned or flushed.

It will be noted that the screws 33 of which there will be two for each denture, can be adjustably positioned for any size of denture, the arrangement thereby providing an adjustment for various sizes.

The arrangement can be used for cleaning the upper denture alone and in substantially the same manner, since the bristles will function as fillers to iill the space, the same applying to the lower denture 41.

It will be noted that slight changes could be made without departing from the essential spirit of my invention, and it will now be noted that I have provided the various advantages mentioned in the objects of my invention.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A denture cleaning device comprising a casing, said casing having an arcuate open slot therein, a movable brush member in said casing including upper and lower bristles, a handle attached to said brush member passing through said slot and being movable in said slot.

2. A denture cleaning device comprising a casing, said casing having an arcuate open slot therein, a movable brush member in said casing including upper and lower bristles, a handle attached to said brush member passing through said slot and being movable in said slot, said lower bristles being adapted to operate for cleaning purposes on an upper denture received in said casing.

3. A denture cleaning device comprising a casing, said casing having an arcuate open slot therein, a movable brush member in said casing including upper and lower bristles, a handle attached to said brush member passing through said slot and being movable in said slot, said lower bristles being adapted to operate for cleaning purposes on an upper denture received in said casing, said upper bristles being adapted to operate for further cleaning purposes on a lower denture, a further brush member in said casing pivotally secured to said handle, said further brush member including bristles extending therefrom adapted to operate for cleaning purposes on certain portions of said lower denture.

4. A denture cleaning device comprising a casing, said casing having an arcuate open slot therein, Ia movable brush member in said casing including upper and lower bristles, a handle attached to said brush member passing through said slot and being movable in said slot, said lower bristles being adapted to operate for cleaning purposes on an upper denture received in said casing, said ing purposes on a lower denture, a further brush member in said casing pivotally secured to said handle, said further brush member including bristles extending therefrom adapted to operate for cleaning purposes on certain portions of said lower denture, a lid pivoted to said casing adapted to close said casing.

No references cited.

upper bristles being adapted to operate for further clean- 10 CHARLES A. WILLMUTH, Primary Examiner 

1. A DENTURE CLEANING DEVICE COMPRISING A CASING, SAID CASING HAVING AN ARCUATE OPEN SLOT THEREIN, A MOVABLE BRUSH MEMBER IN SAID CASING INCLUDING UPPER AND LOWER BRISTLES, A HANDLE ATTACHED TO SAID BRUSH MEMBER PASSING THROUGH SAID SLOT AND BEING MOVABLE IN SAID SLOT. 